August 26, 2008
The Word of Truth
Unfortunately many churches make it a point to avoid the truth of the Word. They have resolved to put forth a message that tickles the ears and promotes worldly gain. They make those that attend feel less guilty about their pursuit of themselves, to the severe detriment of the communities that surround them.
To be clear, Jesus taught the opposite of worldly gain, and He Himself was an example of humble service, not power and position, though He possessed both of those. This is evidenced throughout the Bible, which only has to be occasionally opened and read in order to glean its elementary truths. God’s Word needs no secret decoder ring, and it is accessible to all who come to it. Storing up treasure in heaven is a basic teaching of God’s Word. So why do so many preach worldly gain, which is worse than useless to the believer?
Recently I attended a Sunday service at a church in Northern California whose pastor had never been to seminary. Afterward my friend proceeded to tell me the story of the church beginning, and how the pastor had organized a small bible study in his apartment complex some years ago. Through prayerful planning and teaching, the group grew to 50 people, and soon had to be held at another location to provide ample space for the attendees.
This pastor obviously had direction from the Lord, and upon observance I noticed that his teachings were almost verbatim from the Bible. He was preaching the truth, and people were drawn to it. Currently the church has over 3,000 members, with several services. There were people standing along the walls of the auditorium at the service I attended. People yearn to hear the truth of God.
The challenge for us is this: Are we brave enough to proclaim God’s truth to those who will listen? You don’t need a degree to teach the gospel, and the need is great. Sure, people will always come around to listen to what makes them feel better, but will we proclaim the fullness of the Word of God even if it may rub some people the wrong way? I submit that we must, and that if we muster the courage, others will be blessed with hearing God’s Word of Truth, which is never wasted, and will always have a spiritual return for those who hear.
July 12, 2008
The Pursuit of Christianity
The pursuit of wealth or prominence in this country has consumed most of the American church. The evidence lies in the teachings of pastors such as Joel Osteen, or Joyce Meyer, who often advise people that the power to do or get what you want lies within you. Their book sales are in the millions and they seem to be everywhere on TV and the internet. But their large ministries are a factor of telling people what they want to hear, and slick (and expensive) advertising.
Getting what you want is not in the Christian playbook, nor has it ever been. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we deserve more possessions, a bigger house, or a high paying job. In fact, the Bible says that those worldly things are meaningless in the Kingdom of God. The pursuit of wealth has no place in the pursuit of Christ.
Just as with anything in life, a Christian must make a choice and stick with it. Contemporary wisdom says to pursue your own interests. God says to pursue Him. We must make a daily choice to follow Christ and extract ourselves from the pursuits of the world.
June 21, 2008
Doing Good Is Not Wasted
God’s Grace is a wonderful thing. It is the reason we are all alive and dwelling on this Earth. It is the reason that, having no merit within ourselves, we could gain the inheritance of heaven through the sacrificial work of God’s Son. We are products of God’s Grace and Mercy.
Today’s
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16) The purpose of works is to glorify God, but also to orient men. Non-Christians watch those who believe very closely, even when they seem indifferent. They watch because a deep part of them longs to see that there is order to the chaos that surrounds them, that there is light among the darkness. Jesus said that we are that light.
Understand that it is OK to do good works. You are not negating the grace given to you. Works do not equal boasting. Be confident that God wants you to focus on doing good things, not as a measure of righteousness, or as a justification, but as an assignment that He has given until the day that He comes.
Doing good is never wasted when it is done in the name of our Father. Do good and orient a darkened world toward Jesus, then receive your reward with humility from the One who notices everything.